Pinterest Fail

When a friend's daughter was trying out for cheerleader, she had trouble with cartwheels.  She couldn't consistently turn a cartwheel.  The cheer coach told her to leave it out of her routine and to "stay within her talent level."  I've been saying that ever since and it is good advice in certain circumstances.  I may be saying and thinking it but I don't always take my own advice.  

A case in point is the awning I am attempting to sew for the Aloha.

You see, I saw this cute awning on Pinterest.  Isn't that always how these things start?  I can do that!  There are no instructions with the pin but hey, how difficult can it be?  After all, I lined the curtains!  That almost makes me a seamstress.  No, actually, I am still sewing seams with stress.

 Isn't it darling?  You can understand my attraction, right?

I used a plate to make the scalloped valance.

 I ordered the special poles from Cabella's.

 The print isn't going to match on the scallops but the scallops will match.  I am choosing my battles and want to win the war.

The  power outage on Saturday, when I was really on a roll, slowed me down.  Then on Sunday I over thought and reconsidered my method.  Monday brought a new day with power and then a new set of problems.  One stinkin' thing after another.

My awning is draped over a chair in the living room, I'm stuck.  Some very long seams need to be taken out.  The house looks like Joann's blew up, I'M CRANKY!  I have a cold.  Poor, poor pitiful me, a girl that should have listened to the cheer coach, may not have an awning in time for the Mt. Baker Vintage Trailer Camp Out.

 Now instead of finishing strong I am pouting and stalling.

And procrastinating.

And skipping over to an easy project. 

I ordered a tin sign and added Huaka'i Annie and a '57 using scrapbook stickers.  This is apparently my talent level.  Now if I could just learn to stay in it!

Sunday Funday

Sometimes the obvious gets past me.  Lake Padden and Whatcom Falls Park are two beautiful spots in Whatcom County that I'd never visited.  Yesterday after church Hubby and I went to both and did some walking.  We hiked around the lake on the trails and then went to the falls and walked on the trails there.

 We stayed on the trails but others were jumping off the rocks or walking the tight rope over the water at the falls.  

 The bridge built by the WPA would be a great pattern for the little bridge to our house.

 I made a Margarita pizza for dinner.  It was easy and pretty tasty too.

It was a good day.

IKEA Field Trip

Yesterday afternoon I went on an outing with my Therapy Thursday gals, Leslie and Marjean.  I had not been to IKEA for several years.  Since the dollar has changed we decided that it may be a good idea to visit our local IKEA in Canada.  The border has been so busy that I hadn't crossed in a long time.  There wasn't a wait and the traffic was good.  We almost got lost but I made a quick U-turn and we fixed that issue.  I've seen many Canadians flip a U-turn on Guide Meridian so I assume it's legal in Canada. Hah!

I wanted to check out bookcases and found some grey ones that I think would work.

 In the meantime, I filled a blue bag with miscellaneous IKEA junk.

 I actually went for the hanging clips which I just happened to find in a random spot.  I never did find any more.  I needed them for the Aloha.

 Who goes to IKEA without buying the tea lights and some napkins?  Not this girl!

 Meatballs anyone?  Yes, please.  Swedish meatballs are the best and are small enough to add to soups.  The US Customs officer asked if we had any meat and then told us the only restricted meat is lamb and goat.  Goodness, I hope not! Ikea meatballs are beef and pork.

 Leslie found faux plants for .99 each.  We all bought three or more.

 The topiary looked a little sad when I pulled it out of the bag this morning however; fluffing and a new pot makes it a designer's dream.  That's a slight exaggeration.  I think they are pretty and sometimes we all need a little plastic green to soften a vignette.

 And of course, something new!  I saw the elder flower juice concentrate and I thought I could substitute it for St. Germain liqueur in cocktails when we want something lighter or nonalcoholic.  

And the bottle is pretty!

 I have one drawer for utensils in our kitchen.  I looked for an organization method.

Squirrel!

 While cleaning out the drawer I found this plastic green thing.  I have no idea what it is.  Anyone?

 We'll see how long this organization phase lasts...

It was a fun trip with the girls, a lot of laughs and treasures.  It's good timing too because when mid August comes around I start nesting, organizing and cleaning our home.  I made a Target and Costco trip this week, Fall cleaned the kitchen and now just need to order the firewood.  Autumn is coming!  Bring on the pumpkin recipes!

What I Did on My Summer Vacation

The week after our family reunion in George, WA Hubby and I took a week's vacation. Danny was home visiting from Michigan.  Danny wanted to see everyone while he was home so one evening our friends met at Kulshan Brewery.  I brought chocolate salted caramel cupcakes for dessert and we all enjoyed Hot Mess food truck for dinner.  Blake and Grace are newly engaged to be married so it was fun to hear their plans and share their excitement.  Blake is my spare guy and I couldn't be happier for him and his beautiful girl.

 Sam and Danny went to Whistle Lake to jump off cliffs, Hubby and Danny went to Artist Point at Mount Baker to hike and we had a family BBQ one evening.  After a fun packed visit Danny left on Wednesday evening.  Hubby and I took Danny to Oliver's Lounge for a cocktail and to Andaluca for dinner before bringing him to Seatac to catch his red eye flight.

 The next morning Hubby and I packed Hua'kai Annie for a little road trip.  We stayed off I-5 and enjoyed a leisurely trip to Anacortes via Edison.

 We stayed at Fidalgo Bay Resort, where we had the smallest trailer in a sea of huge, deluxe rigs, where we were the youngest campers and where we didn't have to share the restrooms because everyone else had one in their motor home.  It was nice

 There is a beautiful trail leading to the bay in one direction and to town in the other direction.

After dinner I baked cookies because I wanted to try our oven in the Aloha.  It works!

 In the morning we packed up and went to stay at Camano Island.  Hubby wanted to make a few repairs to the cabin.  We hiked on the beach and in the state park.

When we got home my peaches had ripened.  On our way home from George we had stopped in Thorpe and bought 4 boxes of peaches.  I spent the next week returning to work and frantically freezing peaches and baking pies.

We had a good time with our family, road tripping and spending time with each other.  It was fun to go camping with Annie and we are excited to do more camping.

RIP Hawley

Hawley

October 30, 2001 - July 30, 2015

Hubby and I gave the boys a puppy for Christmas in 2001.  I named him Hawley.  The boys had their eyes closed, I set Hawley down and then told them to open their eyes and meet Hawley.  Sam had a few seconds of disappointment.  He thought Hawley was a little sister named Holly and that we were adopting a little girl.  He got over it pretty fast.

 Hawley grew up with the boys.  He was a fun puppy.  Sam was  the dog whisperer and taught him good manners.  Hawley sat on my lap whenever I was weeding and planting until I had to tell him that he was just too big.

 Sam would leave a treat on Hawley's nose, clear the table on the patio and then tell Hawley, "okay", only then would  Hawley would toss his head and gobble the treat.

 As the boys grew up and left home Hawley aged and started to spend more time hanging out with Hubby and me.  I bought him a new bed at Costco each Fall and so we had beds all over.  That way if we were working in the back yard he had a bed there, or in the garage he could watch Hubby work on the trailer, one on the patio, one in front of the wood stove and one in his dog house

.

Hawley loved the wood stove and many times as I came into the house carrying firewood he slammed me out of the way to get inside to his spot by the fire. This picture shows him on a towel but that wasn't the norm, he had a bed by the fire.  He liked to lay so close that when we walked by and petted him his fur was too hot to touch.

 On the patio he took over my chaise lounge and then ignored me.  If I don't look your way then you do not exist and I don't have to get off of the chaise lounge.  Right?

 Hubby was Hawley's person and they loved each other.  It started on Hawley's first night with us, Hubby built him a dog house and then at bed time he crawled in with Hawley.  Hubby laid with him until our new puppy fell asleep.  It was his first night without brothers or sisters and Hubby knew he'd be scared and lonely. 

 Hawley met Hubby every night and did not want to be on the patio or in the house at 4:30 because it was time to meet the boss in the driveway.  Hawley and Hubby got gray together, raising those boys wasn't easy!

 We were told that we'd know when it was time to say good bye to our faithful friend and that was true.  It seemed to happen overnight though we knew for a year that the time was coming.

It was harder than we thought it would be.  Sam was able to come help us say good bye.

Hawley is buried under the apple tree.

A wise friend told me that when it's time to say good bye that is the time we pay for having loved a good dog for so many years.  It is hard, but we loved him a lot so it is worth the pain of losing our dear, faithful friend.